Wong died of lung cancer after a four-year battle at the age of 64 in November 24 2004 at 00:46.
Education
Wong was born in Panyu, in what now is part of Guangzhou, China and migrated to Hong Kong with his family in 1949. He completed his secondary education at La Salle College. In 1963, he graduated from Chinese Department, Faculty of Arts of the University of Hong Kong. Wong received an degree from the University of Hong Kong in 1983 for his study in Cantonese opera . In May 2003, in the midst of his fight with lung cancer, he obtained a degree at the Department of Social Science, University of Hong Kong. The title of his thesis was .
Career and contributions
Wong had participated in a variety of media fields including advertisement, movie and music. He was best known for his achievements as a lyricist of Cantonese songs in Hong Kong. Beginning from the 1960s, he was the lyricist for over 2,000 songs, collaborating with composer Joseph Koo on many popular TVB TV drama theme songs, many of which have become classics of the genre. His works had pushed the development of Cantopop to unprecedented popularity. Joseph Koo, might be one of his closest friends, but James Wong acknowledges that Koo is the exact opposite of him, saying that he is handsome , while Koo has a terrible reputation, he curses or uses vulgar while Koo doesn't know how to curse!
At the same time of being well known and praised for his creative works in the entertainment and advertisement fields, Wong was also famous for his vulgar and indelicate image. His vulgar includes jokes that lightly touch on adult topics. In one of his last concerts, he sung ones of his songs intended for advertisements. This one, "Leung Go Gau Saai Sou" has one particular line where he emphasises the word for mother, lo-mo. On that night he also said he loves si-lai (married women, he said, his mother was a si-lai and he loves si-lai so badly, his si-lai at home said he could only have one si-lai. It is said that his charismatic nature blends so perfectly with his jokes that he makes everyone laugh until they fall off their chairs. He had a series of best-seller books on adult-oriented jokes. He was regarded as the one breaking the cultural barrier to taboos in Hong Kong during the conservative environment in 1970s. He is best remembered as the person who came up with the slogan "Two kids are good enough" for The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong.
Wong hosted several TV programs, mostly interviews or talk shows oriented towards adults, on both TVB and . One of the talk shows called "Off-guard Tonight" , co-hosted by Wong and his close friends Chua Lam and Ni Kuang on ATV, is particularly remembered.
Since the 1990s, Wong's creative works had become less popular, and many entertainment companies featured less of Wong's songs. Some TV shows hosted by Wong were also unpopular. Wong had decided to return to Hong Kong University to get a Doctor's degree, about Hong Kong popular culture. His essay is now in the library of Hong Kong University.
On November 24 of 2004 at 00:46, he passed away in in Hong Kong Shatin. At this moment, Hong Kong people reflected back and agreed to his career and accomplishment. For the following few days, the news of his death had become the headline of media in Hong Kong and his compositions were played throughout the week. A remembrance ceremony took place at Hong Kong Stadium, over 15,000 attended this ceremony.
Important works in lyrics
* '''' Chinese adaptation
* ''Below the Lion Rock''
* ''The Bund of Shanghai'' , theme song from TV series ''''
* ''All Kind Sentiments'' , theme song from TV series ''The Bund II''
* ''Shanghai Beach of the Dragon Tiger Battle'' , theme song from TV series ''The Bund II''
* ''When I'm Asked''
* ''Both are forgetten in the mist''
* ''Tao'' , theme to the Tsui Hark-produced ''A Chinese Ghost Story''
* ''A laugh in blue sea'' , theme to Tsui Hark's ''''
* ''A Man Should Stand Strong'' , theme song to Tsui Hark's ''Once Upon a Time in China'' series about Wong Fei Hung; set to the traditional Chinese tune ''On the General's Orders''
* ''No need to remember old dreams''
* ''Childhood''
* ''Work Hard''
* ''Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre''
* ''The Invincible Medic'' , theme song from TV series ''The Invincible Medic''
* ''The Adventurer's'' , theme song from TV series ''The Adventurer's''
* ''In Love and War'' , theme song from TV series ''In Love and War''
* ''Breath and Depths of Mountains and Waters''
* ''It Will Be Throughout Lucky'' , theme song from TV series ''The Duke of Mount Deer''
* ''Detains the Fall Scenery'' , sub theme song from TV series ''The Buddhism Palm Strikes Back''
* ''Difficult Even Agreement'' , theme song from TV series ''Against the Blade of Honour''
* ''Splendid Story'' , theme song from TV series ''Corner the Con Man''
* ''Has You Rarely'' , theme song from TV series ''Corner the Con Man''
* ''The Cool Breeze Does Not Dye'' , theme song from TV series ''Justice Sung II''
* ''The Sentimental Often In''
Awards
Wong received numerous awards for his works.
- Music Awards
* 1981 忘記他, The best cantopop, 4th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
* 1982 兩忘煙水里, The best cantopop, 4th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
* 1989 Best Lyricist, 2nd Hong Kong Artist Awards
* 1990 Golden Pin, 13th, Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
* 1991 Hall of Fame, RTHK
* 2000 Hall of Fame Award, CASH .
* 2002 Hall of Fame Award for 25th Anniversary, 25th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
- Film Awards
* 1987 ''A Chinese Ghost Story'': Best Original Score and Best Film Song , 7th Hong Kong Film Awards
* 1990 ''The Terracotta Warrior'': Best Original Film Score; and '''': Best Original Film Song, 10th Hong Kong Film Awards
* 1991 黃飛鴻, 11th Hong Kong Film Awards
* 1992 黃飛鴻 之II 男兒當自強, 29th Taiwan's Golden Horse Award
* 1994 梁祝, Best Original Film Score, 14th Hong Kong Film Awards
Filmography as actor
* ''In-Laws, Out-Laws''
* ''Visible Secret'' - Lo Kit
* ''Funny Business''
* ''Love Paradox'' - Security guard
* '''' - J.P.
* ''A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation'' - Red Beard
* ''Screwball '94'' - Tong Shi Yi
* '''' - George
* ''Best of Best''
* ''I Will Wait for You'' - Thief
* ''Return to a Better Tomorrow'' - Wong
* ''I Have a Date with Spring'' - Triad
* '''' - Governor Cheng
* ''Flirting Scholar'' - Mr. Wah
* ''All's Well, Ends Well Too'' - Magistrate
* ''Summer Lovers'' - Uncle Wah
* ''Fight Back to School II'' - Minister Wong
* ''Stooges in Hong Kong''
* ''Rich Man'' - Peter Chow
* ''Once Upon a Time a Hero in China''
* ''All's Well, Ends Well''
* ''The Twin Dragons'' - Twins' Father
* ''Spiritually a Cop''
* '''' - Food Vendor
* ''Gambling Ghost'' - Brother Dragon
* ''Doctor Vampire''
* ''Stooges in Tokyo'' - Chung, Kwok Shing
* ''B B 30''
* ''The Wild Goose Chase''
* ''Tiger on the Beat II'' - Wong
* Miss Asia Pageant 1990 - Host
* ''The Romancing Star III'' - Housiu Jim
* ''Just Heroes'' - Solicitor Wong
* ''Mr. Sunshine''
* ''Celebrity Talk Show'' TV Series - Host
* ''Happy Ghost 4'' - Judge
* Miss Asia Pageant 1989 - Host
* ''Black Dragon'' - Mr. Ku's Friend
* ''City Squeeze''
* ''The Crazy Companies'' - Priest
* ''Fractured Follies'' - May's father, a supermarket owner
* ''Tiger on Beat'' - Police Inspector Jim Pak
* ''Mother vs. Mother'' - Substitute Minister
* ''Double Fattiness'' - Orchestra Director
* ''Red Headed Stranger'' - Chinese Laborer
* ''Musical Dancer'' - James Wong
* ''My Darling, My Goddess'' - Randy Jim
* ''Chinatown Kid'' - Gambler
* ''Let's Rock''
* ''Games Gamblers Play''
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